The Last Word

[eje]

I'm at a disadvantage, not having tried Chartreuse VEP. I don't know what subtle differences there are between it and regular Chartreuse. I know it gets some extra aging in wood?

I remember being a bit shocked, myself, when I first heard they were using the VEP in drinks at Slanted Door.

But when I asked the bar manager he said, "no really," and told me he was still within the cost percentages that the owners asked him to hit on those drinks. I don't know if he orders the Chartreuse by the shipping container direct from France or what.

I get your and Phil's points, and more or less agree regarding moving customers away from brand loyalty and towards making the best ingredient choices for a drink.

But also am not entirely sure I agree with those bars that self limit themselves, and their customers, by doing things like not stocking Grey Goose or Coca Cola.

[Chris Amirault]

Moderator's note: I've just split off the discussion about spirits, selection, and standards into this topic.

[nikkib]

try the last word with a couple of drops of frenet branca for "the last word on the last word" use the frenet as if it were bitters.....

[Nathan]

try the last word with a couple of drops of frenet branca for "the last word on the last word" use the frenet as if it were bitters.....

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I tried this last night. it really works...just make sure it's only a couple drops...otherwise the balance gets all off.

[Heikki]

Here is a modification of Last Ward that I intend to serve during the Christmas holidays. Compared to Last Ward, Cherry Heering is substituted for Maraschino and a little more lime is used. The reason for this substitution is that I was running out of Maraschino which is not easily available here, so a liqueur that is flavorful enough to take Maraschino's part was needed. Also, the amount of lime was increased a little for a better balance.

3 parts rye

3 parts Chartreuse

3 parts Heering

4 parts lime juice

Shake and garnish with lime twist.

Besides the essential oils, lime twist is also visually pleasing since the drink is muddy brown because of Heering.

About the taste, Rye and Heering play together very well and rye can be identified as the base. Chartreuse brings its flavor to the whole as with Final Word or Last Ward. In my opinion, the way rye and Heering interact is something that I did not expect but am very pleased with.

I also tried making the drink with lemon instead of lime, but lime seems to work better. The rye I have been using is Wild Turkey. This is also a good way to consume all that Heering many of us surely have somewhere among their lesser used bottles.

--

Heikki Vatiainen

Tampere, Finland

[Chris Hennes]

I'll admit to being easily seduced by new flavors (I've never had chartreuse), but The Last Word is definitely on my "standards list" now. I particularly like the way the flavor seems to change as you work through the glass. I don't know if this is a temperature effect or just tastebuds getting used to the drink, but it makes for a drink that is intriguing to the last sip. Excellent.

[Nathan]

I did something fun last night. made a Last Word followed by a Final Ward and then a Pete's Word back to back to back.

really interesting to line them up and see how the substitutions affect the drink.

[mkayahara]

Made a Last Word variation last night with La Favorite rhum agricole blanc substituted for the gin. A tasty and, I think, worthwhile rendition. I'm sure I'm not the first one to do this, so I'm wondering if there's a consecrated name for this variation. For that matter, is there any base spirit that doesn't work in this drink?

[slkinsey]

One time when Audrey and I went to Death & Company, Phil Ward made us a gigantic flight of Last Word variants. I think there was gin, Genevieve, rye, tequila, La Favorite and maybe a few others. I think the one with Favorite was just riffed-up on the spot, but we all thought it was really nice and wondered why we hadn't thought of it before. I don't know if it ever made it onto a menu. We informally called it the Favorite Word, I think (my recollection is a bit hazy, I will admit).

Edited August 18, 2009 by slkinsey (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Were all other items kept the same, or did the citrus switch as in Phil Ward's Final Word, which subs in lemon for lime for the rye. (Or is it Final Ward?)

[slkinsey]

These were all the same. Equal parts of [spirit], lime, Luxardo maraschino and Green Chartreuse.

[mkayahara]

One time when Audrey and I went to Death & Company, Phil Ward made us a gigantic flight of Last Word variants.  I think there was gin, Genevieve, rye, tequila, La Favorite and maybe a few others.  I think the one with Favorite was just riffed-up on the spot, but we all thought it was really nice and wondered why we hadn't thought of it before.  I don't know if it ever made it onto a menu.  We informally called it the Favorite Word, I think (my recollection is a bit hazy, I will admit).

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"Favorite Word" sounds good to me! I was thinking about a tequila version as I was drinking this last night. What kind of tequila works best: silver, reposado, anejo?

[slkinsey]

Given all the other intense flavors going on, I would think that any of the flavors that differentiate reposado and anejo from silver would be lost. But I am far from being an expert on tequila.

[slkinsey]

Does anyone have an approximate date for when the Last Word started to be served at Zig Zag? I'm thinking it's not long before it was posted to this thread, but would welcome any additional information.

[haresfur]

I had the great pleasure to drink at the Zig Zag Cafe on not one, but two nights during my vacation to Seattle and environs last week. 

<snip>

Anyway, here is Murray's Last Word

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I had one of these a few weeks back at Zig Zag when Murray was perfecting it, and it is truly unique!

~Anita

Does the above, second post in the thread narrow it down enough?

[FrogPrincesse]

I went to Craft and Commerce this weekend and asked for a daiquiri-type cocktail with rhum agricole after spotting La Favorite blanc on their shelf. They made an excellent Last Word variation that used to be on their cocktail menu when they opened a few years ago. They call it Enough Said. Lots of funky flavors in that drink, very nice as a last drink to finish a pleasant evening - even though I am still shocked that they close their doors at 1 am on a weekend.

 

Then last night I decided to continue on the same track and prepared Michael McIlroy's Thumbs Up! It's a slightly tweaked version of the Last Word with a touch of aperol and less maraschino. It's very good; I found it more subtle than the original and the color is a nice salmon.

 

Edited December 1, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
formatting (log)

[elix]

Why is there no variation with Benedictine called a Benediction? I don't know what else you'd want to switch around to make this work. I just thought of the goofy pun...

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is EvergreenDan/Dan Chadwick's twist on the Last Word, the Bad Word, created for MxMo LXVI: Bein' Green. It substitutes Gran Classico bitter for the maraschino liqueur. I liked it a lot. It has some bitterness but this was not the dominating characteristic for me. I tasted juicy stone fruit which was unexpected, grapefruit, and a black pepper finish. The interaction between the Gran Classico and the Chartreuse was quite fun!

I'm insufferably pleased with my submission's recipe and name.

Bad Word
by Dan Chadwick, Kindred Cocktails
3/4 oz Gin
3/4 oz Herbal liqueur, Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Amaro, Gran Classico
3/4 oz Lime juice

Shake, strain, rocks, lowball, or up/cocktail glass.

Delicious variation on the Last Word. Better than the original for a bitter-lover.

[Adam George]

Why is there no variation with Benedictine called a Benediction? I don't know what else you'd want to switch around to make this work. I just thought of the goofy pun...

I did this with lemon juice.

It works very nicely, in my opinion.

[ChefJohnny]

Why is there no variation with Benedictine called a Benediction? I don't know what else you'd want to switch around to make this work. I just thought of the goofy pun...

The guys at 15 Romolo in SF have done this. They called it "Last Rights" with a garnish of a cherry cross. Not too bad. But my all time favorite Last Word variation has to be another 15 Romolo creation called the "Fernetaboutit," subbing Fernet Branca for gin. Its a crappy color, but the fernet adds an amazing herbal complexity that is simply amazing. But Im a huge fernet fan, so maybe Im biased.

[slkinsey]

Damon Dyer came up with the Monte Cassino, which is based on the thinking underlying the Last Word. It's equal parts lemon juice, Bénédictine, yellow Chartreuse and rye whiskey (Rittenhouse BIB).

[Rafa]

Why is there no variation with Benedictine called a Benediction? I don't know what else you'd want to switch around to make this work. I just thought of the goofy pun...

Here you go:

Benediction

by Rafa García Febles, NYC.

3/4 oz Brandy

3/4 oz Herbal liqueur, Green Chartreuse

3/4 oz Bénédictine

3/4 oz Lemon juice

Shake, strain, up.

15 Romolo already gave the gin version a different name, and I think brandy suits the monastic theme better than gin anyway. (A monastic-style beer as the base would suit it even better, but that would make an already sweet cocktail cloying.)

[Plantes Vertes]

In recovery from a four-hour Hamlet we drank a couple(t) of Dutch Words.

2oz genever

1/2oz Green Chartreuse

1/2oz Luxardo Maraschino

1/2oz lime juice

[FrogPrincesse]

Plantes Vertes,

That looks good. What is your rationale for altering the equal-parts ratios? (Are you just triyng to minimize your consumption of Chartreuse? That stuff is expensive.)

[Plantes Vertes]

I would not deny myself like that. In fact it was not my ratio rationale but Simon Difford's if I remember well. However, this recipe appeals to me because it is a lot less in your face with the big flavours; I just don't need the vegetation of this world to have a fight in my mouth. I am also irrationally prejudiced against equal-parts drinks that contain more or fewer than three ingredients...

ETA yes, it is from Difford, the Cabinet Room, 2010.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Plantes Vertes (log)